"Existential Blues" by T-Bone Stankus tabbed by Christopher Heckman (checkman@math.asu.edu) using Seventh String's Transcribe! utility lyrics taken from http://www.lyricgate.com/lyrics/10663/Stankas_T_Bone/Existential_Blues Usual disclaimors: You are allowed to use this file only for private study; making money off of it is strictly verboten. If the chords don't line up in whatever word processor you are using, change the whole document to Courier font (or some other equal-spaced font). And lastly: this is my interpetation of the song; no copyright infringement or toe-stepping-on is intended. No one seems to have attempted this, which is surprising in the sense that it only is vocals plus acoustic guitar (plus echo box, plus some electronics for the "The Shadow" part); on the other hand, there are all sorts of little bits which would be nice to get. I sat down and tackled this using Transcribe! 6.00 and then checked it with acoustic guitar. A few notes: There seems to be some brief echo on the guitar, which made the chords difficult to get. Sometimes Stankus will use the universal passing chord (000000, all open strings). Some Am chords may actually be Am/E (i.e., Am with an E bass note) in some places. The notation "/" means to strum the chord once, which usually shows up in a diversion ("Sailing ..."). Six >'s, one on top of another, means to strum like crazy, when put in the tablature. "NC" means "no chord", and usually no guitar. "Existential Blues" by T-Bone Stankus NC Hey man, what are you really into, huh? (Laughs) (instr, in 12/8 time:) | Am | G D5 D5 E | Am | G D5 E F#sus4 | Am E5 E The elusive butterfly has just tiptoed past my door, Am My bonny likes the Yankees, she says, "Hey T-Bone what's the score?" E D5 E I say, "Well, Reggie got 1 and 1 and 3 and 25 is 6 to 4." NC Am E Am Is a left wing really pinko? Colonel Sanders, what a bore. D5 G Am D5 You ask so many questions, what answers should I choose? E5 Am NC G5 D5 Am Is it schizoid paranoia or just existential blues? | Am (2 beats only) | G D5 E5 D5 (The) | Am E The amenities of life have been chasing my soul, Am And my mind is transcendental, and I'm losing all control. E And I'm sinking in the quagmire of illusions and Thoreau, NC Am E Am I cry out, "My name is T-Bone" as a hound dog digs a hole. D5 G Am D5 You ask so many questions, what answers should I choose? E NC G5 D5 Am Is it plain as heebie-jeebies or just existential blues? | Am (2 beats only) | G D5 E5 G5 | (Below, / indicates a single strum.) Am / / / / | / / / / / / | E5 F# G5 G#5 Sail- -ing, sail- -ing, what is 'lusion, A5 NC (tap on guitar) E----------------|--------------------| B----------------|--------------------| G--2-------------|--------------------| D--2-------------|--------------------| A--0---2--3--4---|--x---x-x-x--x-x-x--| E----------------|--------------------| what is truth? Am / / // | / / // // | E5 F# G5 G#5 | Am E | Sail- -ing, sail- -ing, o- ver the ex-is- tential blues. D5 Am E5 F#5 G5 G#5 E--------------|------------------0--|-----------------|---------------------| B--3-----------|-1---1------------1--|-----------------|---------------------| G--2-----------|-2---2------------2--|-----------------|---------------------| D--0-----------|-2---2------0--2--2--|-----------------|---------------------| A--0-----------|-----0---0-----0--0--|-2---4----5---6--|-0--2-2--2-3-3--3-4--| E--------------|-----0---------------|-0---2----3---4--|---------------------| God bless A- mer___ica, and Old Glo-ry too. D / / / | Am | E / | Am / / / | May she always wave o'er us with the red, white & existential blues. Hey! E NC Bom-idda-bom (and more blue moon noises here), the existential blues E NC Am You can do what you want but lay off my existential blues, E / / / My blue suede existential blues. | Am | G5 D5 E G5 | (Bridge) Am (one strum only) G C D5 G I was on a QUEST, walking down the road today, doo-dah, doo-dah, Am D5 Am I was walking down the road, I was looking for the truth of life, (Am) When I came across all these little people, little people, NC Little people all around me. NC They looked up at me and said, "Hey Mister, are you tall?" NC And I said, "Yes I'm tall, but who are you weird little wonders?" NC And they looked up at me with their big bloodshot eyes and said: C C/G C C/G C/G D5 C C/G "We are the lollipop kids, the lollipop kids, the lollipop kids C C/G C F G D5 G C We are the lollipop kids, we'd like to welcome you to Munchkinland." A5(flamenco) D5/E NC I said, "Hey, hey, weird little wonders, I am on a quest. G Walking on the road today doo-dah, doo-dah." A5(flamenco) I said, "Hey kids I'm looking for the truth of life ... Am Where do I go? Who do I see?" NC "Slow down mister. In order to find the truth of life, NC One must see THE WIZARD!" NC Am NC I said, "The WIZARD???? Well, where does this wizard oh wise one live?" Am NC "You see the big green glow-in-the-dark house up on the hill? Am NC I said, "Yes, I see the big green glow-in-the-dark house up on the hill, Am NC With the big dark forest between me NC And the big green glow-in-the-dark house up on the hill. Am NC And a little old lady on a Hoover vacuum cleaner going, Am NC 'I'll get you my little pretty, and your dog Toto too!' NC I don't even HAVE a little dog Toto ..." (Em) E---------------------------------- B---------------------------------- G---------------------------------- D-----------2---------------------- A--------2-----3=====---2-0-------- E--0--3---------------------3-2-0-- NC Such predicaments! I must forage ahead! G Walking down the road today, doo-dah, doo-dah, Am NC I must find the truth of life, I said, "But you know, kids, NC I can handle the big green glow-in-the-dark house up on the hill, NC Am NC Am NC I can handle the dark forest, I can handle the little old lady NC With the very strange road they're sending me down ... Am NC I've seen yellow stripes in the middle of the road before, NC But kids, never quite that wide!" NC Alright, tighten your shorts pilgrim, and sing like the Duke: C C/G C C/G C C/G C C/G Follow the yellow brick road, (c'mon!), follow the yellow brick road. C Am F F D D G G Follow follow follow follow, follow the yellow brick road. F (one time only) G D C C/G If ever a wonderful Wiz there was, the Wizard of Oz is one, 'cause, C C/G F F/D Dm/F Because because because because because_______ G (one time only) Because of the wonderful things he does. F Dm/F G NC La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, la-la C C/G C C/G F G C We're off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz. flamenco strumming: C Am NC Well, I got a little bit tired of C C/G C C/G C Em/G G G C/G C/G G G5 C/G A5 Walking down the road today, doooo-dahhhhh, dooooo-daaaaahhhhhh. A5 E5 E Am (Bm) A little bit tired of walking down this old blinding yellow road. Am Am/E So I pulled my little tired body off to a little rest area, Am Am/E Am And lo and behold there's a little field of little red flowers out there. Am/E Am Am/E Am Am/E (Sniff, laugh) That smells so good. Whoa! I was getting pretty tired. Am Am/E And it smells so good (sniff). Am NC Figured I'd just stretch out for a bit in this little field of ... NC Poppies poppies poppies poppies poppies poppies .... NC (Em) Am Am/E I was having a really strange dream, man, you know, Am Am/E Am Little red flowers just smell awfully good now. I was having a great time, Am/E Am Am/E The old wizard's just going to have to wait, man, NC 'Cause I'm just going to stretch out again in this field of poppies. NC (Adim whir) OhgodohgodDorothyDorothypoppiesfieldpoppiesfield... Am/E NC (scratch strings) Along came this old man in a green El Dorado two, screeched to a halt. NC A little short man with a big red nose, toting a bottle of Yukon Jack, NC Am/E Strolled up to me and said, "Hey, son--" NC I said, "Old man, don't bother me, poppies poppies poppies poppies ..." NC He said, "T-Bone--" NC I said, "Wait a minute, this man knows my name! He must be ... THE WIZARD!!!!" Am/E (flamenco strumming) D5 (flamenco strumming) You must be the Wizard, the Wizard of Oz, E (flamenco strumming) A5 Why have you come to haunt me, O Wizard of Oz? NC I said, "Oh Wizard O Wise one, I've been on a quest C G Walking down the road today, doo-dah, doo-dah C G C We are the lollipop kids, the lollipop kids C/G C C/G C Follow the yellow brick road follow follow follow the ... NC I got tired, poppies poppies poppies poppies ... NC Little man, I've been through hell!" Am NC He said, "hey, son, slow down, relax!" Am/E I said, "Oh Wizard, oh wise one, I've come so far to find the truth of life," NC And he says, "Hey, son, slow down, relax. To tell you the truth, son..." NC I said, "Wizard, that's what I've come to find out, the truth" NC Am/E He said, "No, son, you've got me all wrong. To tell you the truth, son, NC How can I tell you this? NC Uh, I've been in this field of poppies a long time, myself, NC Am / Am/E And I've come to find, son, / NC That the only truth in life is right here in this bottle." NC I said, "WIZARD!!!?!??!?" NC Am/E NC He said, "No, truly, son, in fact, NC I'd rather have this bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy!" Am G E | Am | G D5 E D | How profound, Wizard! (Some) (back to verse 3) Am NC E7 NC Some girl with psychic powers, she said, "T- Bone, what's your sign?" E5 NC Am/E / E / Am Am/E I blink and answer, "Neon," I thought I'd blow her mind. D NC E NC She's reading Moby Dick, by some fruitcake named Herman, Em NC Am E Am / She's chomping on a knockwurst, "Are the Boches really German?" D5 Am/E You ask so many questions, what answers should I choose? E NC G D5 Am Is this really Butte, Montana, or just existential blues? NC Am (strum) NC Am E----------------------------->------------------------------------->-- B----------------------------->------------------------------------->-- G----------------------------->------------------------------------->-- D----------------------------->------------------------------------->-- A--3---0---------1--3--3------>-----------3----1---1--1---3--3------>-- E---------3------------------->------------------------------------->-- Really Butte, Montana, ... is as plain as heebie-jeebies... D5 NC (electronic part arranged for guitar) E-->------------------------------------12===--------14===-------17===-------| B-->-----------------------------------------12==---------15=====------------| G-->-------------------------------8--9----------12==12-------15====-17==14==| D-->-------------------------------------------------------------------------| A-->-----------3---1--------3--2---------------------------------------------| E-->--------------------4-0--------------------------------------------------| Is it schizoid paranoia .... NC E-------------------------- B-------------------------- G-------------------------- D----------------(0)-0----- A--3-----1--3--3--3--0----- E-----2-------------------- la-la-la-la-la-la-la, E / / / Am/E (strum like crazy) EXISTENTIAL BLUES! Done. (Whew!)